The Nightwatchman's Love
by EmilyLouisexx
Summary: One Noose; Two Necks. One love that will try to break free in the shadows of a cell. Marian/Allan pairing - don't not read if you dislike the pairing.
1. Chapter 1

As I stand, I can feel the heat of the sun down the back of my neck, soon I would feel nothing.

I keep my head to the ground for I am in shame. Shame for my father, shame for myself and most of all shame for the people of Nottingham, for I have beaten. A tear slips down my cheek, all my emotions that I have been so desperate to hold have finally hit me, and I am to die a traitors death.

I have never been classed as a traitor until now, as I walk out from my room, walking in my drapes, down until the gallows. It is a short walk but my footing is weak from the lack of foot that I have ate this morning. If I was to die, it would have been my late meal. Fatigue creeps in and I am dragged like the coward I am, the failure that I am, down into . Keeping my head held down, we go past a few nobles that I used to call friends, they too look at me with pity in their eyes. I don't deserve Pity, I don't deserve anything. I feel numb and sorrow, who would look after the people when I was gone? They couldn't rely on Robin all the time.

I sigh a little, as realisation hits and I know Robin doesn't even know, all the times I had watched and witness the fear in the prisoners eyes as they were about to be hung, Robin had always saved them, but not today, not this hanging. For I was out of options and ideas, there was no escape from my fate and I had to bare that this was the end. Struggling against my shackles, the sun penetrates my skin, causing me to shield my eyes from the sun, I am placed behind Gisbourne, he too to shamed of my actions to look at me.

"You will hang" he says as I stand behind him, my lady ship has no meaning anymore as I would have stood beside him once. I hear the betrayal in his voice, he clears his throat and looks down at my wrists; which are battered and bruised, I rub them together and hear him mutter under his breath. I'm too sadden to care, for I have lost his trust, his head and his heart.

The drums start and I feel something break inside me, I feel no pain but numbness, it seems they says you can't shatter your heart but I have shattered my soul and their spirit.

"People of Nottingham" Guy starts, he clears his throat again and people start to gather and look up towards the noose and back at me. Guards laugh as I try slip out of my shackles but it is no use. I don't want this, I don't want to die, I scream to myself. I feel vulnerable as people stare and shake their heads.

I take my stand on the platform, as I feel myself shake.

For this was the end of the Nightwatchman. And it was the end for me.


	2. Chapter 2

**\- I I**

I shake, as my body starts to collapse, my knees give way on the cold hard ground of Sherwood Forest. I feel nothing as my leg collides with a branch and scratches my leg, leaving a gash. I curse under my breath, as I breath heavy, Another battle wound where I have failed. I look down towards my scars, none of which are heroic. My eyes start to water, not from the pain of my leg but sorrow from my heart.

I failed her again.

The tears drop onto the foliage beneath me and made a small noise, it is calming for a few moments and my head relaxes, I sit not wanting to be disturbed, but times is precious and I must move on.

I make my way through the forest, towards the path of my old camp with Robin. I haven't been here in a few months but everything is how I left it. I dodge a few trees as I start to feel my legs give way, but I keep going. I run faster at the thought of a noose, a noose around Marian's Neck. I curse her under my heavy breath, Robin had told her to have given in up time ago but she had been stubborn, for she was always stubborn.

After her father had die, she refused to go into Sherwood with Robin, she had stayed at the castle with Guy and Myself. We had protected her when the sheriff came for her neck, we were their to support her, but now I am out of options and need Robin's help. I shout Robins Name a few times and notice there is no sign of him. I fear the worst and run towards the camp pulling the lever and looking around.

Bowls and plates hadn't been disturbed, I run over to the far corner, the beds hadn't been touched, I scream and hit the nearby post causing me to flinch and rub my knuckles, I should of brought a horse. I pull the lever and run back towards what was left of Knighton hall.

\- -  
\- The Road To Nettlestone Village

 _"Rubbish" I laugh under my breath as I guide my horse along the cobble road next to Mariam's Mare. We had done this often when Mariam was on house arrest and I had offered to escort her out, we had many tales between the two of us and we're debating who was the better rider._

 _"I could race you from here, and win, I have been riding since a mere child, my father taught me well " she said as she gathered her reins, I knew what she was doing._

 _"I'm not being funny, but I am the better rider here" I say and she laughters waiting from me to catch her. "Your good but I'm better" I say proudly, as I sit tall in my saddle. She giggles like a little girl and circles me with her white mare, who whinnies to my gelding, probably goading him aswell._

 _"Fine, first one back to Nettlestone Village wins, the winner gets what they want" she turns and hauls next to me._

 _"Your on" I reply, fear knowing that my gelding was the slowest, laziest horse against her mare Giz had brought her._

 _She gathers her reins and shouts go, my horse's ears prick as my horse follows her mare, who is paces Infront. I laugh at the sight, my horse was very frisky. I keep low in the saddle as I watch her dart in and out of the corners, her mare heavy breathing. It seemed this was my only escape from the stressful life at the castle. The constant battle of going against what I believe in, and regret in betraying Robin._

 _"Allan, watch out" I hear infront of me as I made my way towards a cart full of straw. To busy in thought, I have no time to stop or turn my horse but to regret my decision. My horse stops abruptly and I go flying into the cart, to my surprise my injuries aren't bad, just my ego. I watch as Marian runs over to me, I see a graze forming on my arm and sigh as it stings, she comes and kneels down next to me._

 _"Are you hurt?" She asks as she gently takes my arm into her own and rips of my tunic and starts to make a bandage. I shake my head and look at her knowingly, she had such beautiful eyes. "Has the blood gone to your head?" She asks as she sees my staring at her, I chuckle to myself, if she only knew. We had known each other since very small, but it has been difficult, her being a lady and me a bard. I taught her everything she needed to know on how to charm a man for pocket, and my she was very good at it._

 _"Kiss it better?" I ask as I smirk towards her dragging her out of thought. She punches me playful in the other arm._

 _"You fool" she says and smiles brightly, I loved that smile. She gets up over dusts her skirts, grabs my horse and places the reins into my hand._ _"Grow up" she says as she mounts and rides to the village which is metres away. "I win" she smirks and prances around on her horse like a little girl winning a game. I shake my head, " I let you win" I laugh to as we make our way back to the Castle._

I chuckle at the thought of the memory, we had grown so close back then, but now I couldn't think. Fog clouds my memory, as I remember those times, now it seemed she had grown arrogant, always trying to push the sheriff but this time it had been to much. I run across the stony road, I can smell smoke and burnt wood. The memory of watching Marian break down as her house is burnt to the ground, makes my heart ache at the thought.

Who'd have thought the famous Allan a Dale, falling for a woman who was high up with her ladyship, he knew he didn't have a chance. The smoke is still coming from the hall that had been burnt down weeks ago, the smell of ash and sut fills my nose as I get closer. The famous Knighton hall had fallen and with it, the sense of hope that everything was going to be okay. I make my way over to where the old stables would have been, I pray what I look for is still here, I step carefully, and look around, not much has been saved. I see trinkets and old bits of furniture that have been saved from the blaze, boxes and jewellery scattered around the place.

I pace a few paces and place my sword into the ground, it hits something hard and my heart drops, relief seeps inside only me.

"Thankyou Marian" I say as I start to dig and bring out a trunk that had been buried. I open the trunk and see the spare pair of Nightwatchman's clothes, I dust them down and hear a horse whinny towards me. I look up and notice it has no rider, God was smiling down on me and today was not mine or Marian's day to die.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Nightwatchman's Love**

\- III

\- Marian

"Where is he? Al-" Gisbourne stops in mid sentence whilst a guard comes running over. He is panting, his breathing is shallow. I notice from the platform, he is shaking, something is wrong.

"Sire, he's not here. Allan, he's gone" He fiddled with his sword between his hands and Gisbourne makes a run for him, the guard looks up and freezes knowing his fate. He grabs his tunic and pushes him against the wall.

"What do you mean gone?" Gisbourne screams in his face, the guard cowers under his grib and flinches waiting for the blow. I watch as I feel a small lump in my throat, Allan had gone. He had gone, deserted me. I didn't blame him though, I had been a horrible friend.

"Sire, no one can find your man at arms, he has gone" my heart drops once more.

"Well, FIND HIM. I want every bodied guard looking for him, and the sheriff what of him?" he shouts and walks off, tutting as he went. I stand waiting for the noose to go over my neck, but it doesn't. Instead a guard grabs me and starts to pull me back down from the platform. Relief fills my soul and I calm my breathing. Today I wasn't going to die.

—

-Allan

I hit my head as the cart is pushed into the gates of Nottingham. I am inside, a clever plan I had learnt from Robin. I rock about next the food that was for the sheriff himself. I sigh, if only I had throughout the whole plan through, maybe I could have stopped the sheriff. I grin, the sheriff had only told me, and a few other bodies that he was going to be out of town for a few days. An errand he had said. I knew he had gone to see prince John. I had meant to tell Gisbourne but I had other things on my mind.

A gentle tap is placed on the cart and I knew we had arrived at the castle, I pull the cover off and look around, nobody was around. I get up and pay the peasant who let me hide away, he thanks me and I walk off, trying to not draw attention to myself.

Pulling my mask above my eyes, I can see Mariam down behind Gisbourne, the sheriff walking towards them, he hadn't noticed Marian tied up. I get closer so I can listen.

" Arh Gisbourne, I hope you've kept our friend the NightWatchman nice and comfy in the cells" Gisbourne huffs under his breath, I wait for him to blow Marian's cover. Lucky he doesn't, maybe he still care for her, I place that thought out of my head and proceed to get closer.

"You could say that" he says and looks towards Marian who has her beautiful head hung down, her eyes drop to the floor as she looks down in shame. I feel her pain from here, when she had told me she was the Nightwatchman, I had tutted and as stubborn, but now I realise this is her freedom, her escape.

"No matter, I'm going on a little trip. Save the slaying of the man till I come back. I'm sure you can keep him company, Gisbourne" She is taken away and I curse under my breath again.

Taking her outfit off -which fits remarkably on me - I brush down my clothes and place them somewhere, where I can only can find them, and run after Gisbourne.


	4. Chapter 4

-Marian

They say betrayal is the worst kind of torture, they say it can seep into your very soul and trick your mind. You become more tired, more fatigue, more vulnerable...

I am placed in my room, the same room I had contemplated seeing again. I relax as I breath in the familiar smells as my senses come back to me. My heart rate settles as I try to get to grips with the events that had just happened. Not long ago, had I thought this was to be my last place I'd be looking, before my spirit was free to roam this forsaken place for all eternity, but there had been a change, it seemed that I wasn't to be punished yet, I wasn't meant to die a traitors death.

I feel alone in my room, no-one is to watch me, no one to care about me, I am isolated by the walls and the men I cared about. I am living a mans life full of isolation and death.

I contemplate my escape, Guy had ordered a guard to watch my door, yet I still feel alone. I had ruined that man, Guy had protected me, cared for me, stuck up for me, yet I had done nothing but be an arrogant woman who was always pushing him away. I had missed his visits, his gestures for keeping me safe, His smile and his flirtatiousness. When my father had past away he and Allan had protected me from the sheriff, and what had I done? Gone and pushed them away, my stupidity and wilfulness had gotten the better of me and I was alone and broken

~Allan

It's not the feeling of being hit, and it's not the sound of it. It's the humiliation, everyone was there, all watching. Gisbourne's Right hand man being stuck at. They all snigger behind my back, they all laugh. I hide my face and follow Guy like a little puppy. We walk past the scaffolding and I notice a noose, one noose still there. It haunts my imagination, and I bite my tongue, Marian's noose.

"Allan!" Gisbourne screams at me and I flinch and follow, the image of Marian hanging makes me freeze but I carry on. How was I to tell everyone? How was I to tell Robin? Robin had loved Marian dearly, they had Been sweethearts from a young age, but she had grown out of love with him, and now she was dead. We get into the great hall, and the doors are slammed shut, sending a ringing through my ears, I sat behind Guy as he starts to pace.

"The Sheriff is going on a little trip, and we are to look after the castle" Guy snickers and grins deeper.

"Where is he going?" I ask, as he makes his way over to a chair and sits down on it, I too follow, my status not as great as his so I sit opposite him.

"Prince John, wants answers, Robin isn't dead, and the King is certainly not. He has gone to explain" I see Guy chuckle under his breath, I can see he is enjoying this ever so. The sheriff had sent Guy to tell him the last time but this time was different.

"I am to be the new sheriff" he smiles under his breath as he raises his shoulders higher. I on the other hand am not sure if this. I feel uneasy and sick to my stomach.


End file.
